Monthly Archives: September 2013

Right Now (Moments #2) by Marie Hall-a review

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RIGHT NOW (Moments #2) by Marie Hall-a review

Right Now

SPECIAL DEAL : RIGHT NOW ebook is .99cents for a limited time at Smashwords, Amazon and B&N

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / Smashwords

Book #1 A MOMENT is FREE at Amazon,  B&N and Smashwords for a limited time:

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_________________________________

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 15, 2013

Sometimes in life….

Things were supposed to get better when Ryan met Lili. I was supposed to move on, get a life… but I’m stuck and lost. Things with my father are not good. There are demons in our closet, big ones. Ones I want to kill him for, I’m seeing a shrink, I’m trying to get better… but my life feels out of control, like I’m a raft adrift on the sea. I don’t know where to look, how to get anchored again, and then I meet Zoe Stone. Something about her draws me out of my rut, makes me laugh for real, smile, and for the first time in years I want to be more. But what will she think when she discovers who I really am?

…all we have…

When Alexander Donovan, aka The Golden Adonis, walks into my tattoo parlor, I know I’ll do anything to make that man mine. There’s an instant connection, a need to know more about him. Everything about him. But there’s also a mystery surrounding the guy, when people look at him they only see the man that laughs, that cracks jokes and makes the world think that everything’s okay, but I see the truth… I see the darkness that lurks so deep inside few would ever recognize it. I want to help him, I want to be with him, now I just have to make him trust me enough to let me in.

Is Right Now

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REVIEW: RIGHT NOW is the second storyline in the new adult, contemporary Moments series by author Marie Hall. The story continues the series a few months after A Moment and follows Alexander Donovan (Ryan’s cousin) and Zoe Stone. The premise is similar to A Moment in that Ryan and Alex are both dealing with the same betrayer and demons, only Alex is lost in his own world of guilt and anguish. Now that Ryan has found an anchor and love with Lili, Alex continues to flounder from one woman to another until he discovers the one who will open her heart to the man she has loved from afar.

Alex was first introduced in A Moment-the first instalment in Marie Hall’s MOMENTS series- and Alex knows the pain and anguish that his cousin has suffered for years. But now it is Alex’s story and it is one that will break your heart. Our hero’s guilt and torment is multiplied when he believes that the hell his cousin has suffered for so many years may have been prevented because Alex believes he was the intended target. Guilt and the heartbreaking sorrow of his cousin’s pain have pushed Alex to the edge and it will take the love and understanding of a woman to keep him from falling over into the darkness that threatens to pull him under.

The relationship between Alex and Zoe begins upon a chance meeting. Zoe has ‘known’ Alex for a number of years but Alex is lost in his own world and hasn’t a clue. All he knows is that he wants Zoe for himself and there are many obstacles and people standing in his way. Zoe and Alex strengthen each other’s resolve especially for Zoe who has a difficult time standing up for herself. But it will take honesty and the truth for Zoe to understand the what and the who behind Alex’s dark and dangerous ways.

The world building continues from the first storyline and we learn more about the truth behind the betrayal and pain that both young men have suffered for so many years. We also learn that sometimes family is not necessarily the blood that runs in your veins, but the people who love and support you through the good times and the bad.

Marie Hall’s RIGHT NOW is an eye opening look at the heartbreaking reality of what happens when the people you trust become the stuff of your nightmares and pain. Marie pulls the reader into a storyline that tackles some serious issues; but there are also moments of humor especially between Zoe and her BFF (and I smell a potential story here).

RIGHT NOW is a story of love and hope; betrayal and heartbreak; pain and sorrow; lost and found. It is also a story about two cousins, who have suffered because no one was willing to believe two small boys about the demons that lived under the same roof-who proclaimed their love and protection- and used that love as a weapon of pain and humiliation. And sometimes, an apology comes too late, because the damage has been done and there can never be any way to forgive and forget.

Book #1 A MOMENT is FREE at Amazon and B&N for a limited time:

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / KOBO / Smashwords

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Crimson Night (Night #1) by Marie Hall-a review

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CRIMSON NIGHT (Night #1) by Marie Hall-a review

Crimson Night

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 5, 2013

Welcome to Carnivale Diabolique ― or what I affectionately like to call the circus of the damned.

My name is Pandora, and though my face might not seem familiar to you, you do know me. I’m a Nephilim. What does that mean? I’m half demon, what’s my other name? Lust. I’m the dark craving that drives you mad, makes you want, makes you reckless and stupid. I’m the drug you’ll do anything to get your hands on. But I’m not all bad. I fight for light, for goodness and truth. I love my job, killing vampires and werewolves, zombies, and freaks… it’s what makes me happy.

But people are starting to disappear and lately I’ve felt a dark presence lurking around me. I think it might be a death priest, that’s not good. There isn’t much a demon like me fears, but I fear them. This should have been easy, me killing the fanged freaks, getting rid of my pesky priest problem, but I’m about to be betrayed by the one person I thought I could trust with my life and before the night is through I’ll be covered in crimson..

••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: CRIMSON NIGHT is the first storyline in Marie Hall’s new Night urban fantasy series. The series focuses on Pandora –a Nephilim- the offspring of angels and humans-and her family of fellow Nephs aka demons hiding behind the guise of a travelling carnival for the Goth. Hiding in plain sight, the demons prowl the carnival looking for their next victim or prey. But our heroine Pandora has a difficult time accepting the beast within and it will be her reluctance to let her inner demon free that could end her life.

The storyline follows Pandora as she is ordered to uncover the mystery behind the appearance of a lair of vampires and their connection to a group of missing children. As she delves deeper into the horrors, she will uncover the truth and with it, the hurt and betrayal that will break her heart and shatter her soul.

The storyline is awash in graphically detailed violence; we follow as Pandora and her fellow demons are set up to fail when a cult demands a sacrifice of its’ youngest victims. This is a story of satanic worship, human sacrifice and demon worship. But this is also a story of one woman’s struggle to fit into a world where she believes she doesn’t belong-and a woman who once loved but was spurned by the very person to whom she must owe her life.

The world building is colorful as the sights and sounds of the midway pull the reader into a world of our nightmares and fantasies. The characters are a mixture of good and bad; caring and aloof. We are introduced to a group of fellow Nephilim who in the end must come to the realization that not all is well in the world of the supernatural and with it, they will lose one of their own before the fight is through.

Marie Hall writes a story that will break your heart when you realize that our leading character can no longer trust the people that she has grown to love as her family and with it comes the realization that to survive she may have to fall deeper into the darkness where the demons want her for their very own.

Reviewed by Sandy

Copy supplied by the author

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Exciting New Releases Upcoming from Entangled Teen

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Exciting New Releases Upcoming from Entangled Teen

Entangled Teen sandy fixed

This October, Entangled Teen print line is releasing four wonderful new novels that we thought you would like to check out.  During the month of October, we will be reviewing each of these books, which you can learn more about below:

Allure
by Lea Nolan
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Links to order Allure: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Allure

Worst. Summer. Ever.



Emma Guthrie races to learn the hoodoo magic needed to break The Beaumont Curse before her marked boyfriend Cooper’s sixteenth birthday. But deep in the South Carolina Lowcountry, dark, mysterious forces encroach, conspiring to separate Emma and Cooper forever. When Cooper starts to change, turning cold and indifferent, Emma discovers that both his heart and body are marked for possession by competing but equally powerful adversaries.

Desperate to save him, Emma and her twin brother, Jack, risk their lives to uncover the source of the black magic that has allured Cooper and holds him in its grip. Faced with the horror of a soul-eating boohag, Emma and Jack must fight to resist its fiendish power to free Cooper long enough to join their strengths and face it together, before it destroys them all.

 

Evanescent
by Andria Buchanan
Release Date: October 1,2013
Links to order Evanescent: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Evanescent

Trapped in the deadly land of Nerissette, Allie has all but given up on any return to the mortal realm. Unless she can find the two elusive artifacts that have the power to get her and her friends back home.

But she’s got even bigger problems as the newly crowned queen of Nerissette: she must unite her people in the midst of a civil war and capture the Fate Maker—the evil puppet master responsible for the conflict—before he can find another army willing to return him to power.On top of it all, Allie is just a normal teenager. Her feelings are growing for the guy she’s certain is her true love, and balancing her personal life while being the queen isn’t as easy as it sounds. Allie must learn the true meaning of bravery, love, and kinship, regardless of the world—and danger—around her.

Made of Stars
by Kelley York
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Links to order Made of Stars: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

MOS 500
When eighteen-year-old Hunter Jackson and his half sister, Ashlin, return to their dad’s for the first winter in years, they expect everything to be just like the warmer months they’d spent there as kids. And it is—at first. But Chance, the charismatic and adventurous boy who made their summers epic, is harboring deep secrets. Secrets that are quickly spiraling into something else entirely.

The reason they’ve never met Chance’s parents or seen his home is becoming clearer. And what the siblings used to think of as Chance’s quirks—the outrageous stories, his clinginess, his dangerous impulsiveness—are now warning signs that something is seriously off.

Then someone turns up with a bullet to the head, and all eyes shift to Chance’s family. Hunter and Ashlin know Chance is innocent…they just have to prove it. But how can they protect the boy they both love when they can’t trust a word Chance says?

Sidelined
by Kendra Highley
Release Date: October 1. 2013
Links to order Sidelined: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Sidelined

After being pushed to excel her entire life, high school basketball star Genna Pierce is finally where she wants to be. University scouts are taking notice, her team is on its way to the state tourney, and Jake Butler, the hot boy she’s daydreamed about since ninth grade, is showing some definite interest. When he asks her out and their relationship takes off, Genna believes things can’t get better.

Then, it’s over.

A freak accident ends her career before it’s even begun. Her parents are fighting more than ever, her friends don’t understand what she’s going through, and she’s not sure who she is without basketball. And while he tries to be there for her, Genna doesn’t understand how Jake could ever want the broken version of the girl he fell for.

Her life in a tailspin, Genna turns to the only solace that eases her pain: Vicodin.

 

Click here for more information on Entangled Teen:
http://www.entangledinromance.com/2013/09/16/entangled-select-and-entangled-teen-in-the-wild/

 
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Fearless (A Cosmo Red-Hot Read) by Tawny Weber-a review

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Fearless (A Cosmo Red-Hot Read)  by Tawny Weber-a review

Fearless

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FEARLESS by Tawny Weber

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 15, 2013

Promising career: check

Amazing apartment: check

The best of friends: check

Sex life: MIA

There’s just one thing missing from Gia Renyard’s life: sexual adventure. And the one man she’d like to have it with is her hot co-worker, Luke Monroe. If only company rules didn’t prohibit her from asking him out. So Gia comes up with a plan: make herself over into a fantasy seductress, follow Luke to a convention in Sin City, and have her way with him for one erotic weekend. The man will never even know who did him.

Everything is going according to plan—until Gia discovers that Luke is perfect for her outside the bedroom too. And suddenly she’s no longer content to let what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas…(less)

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: FEARLESS is the latest contemporary romance novella from author Tawny Weber. The premise follows Gia Renyard as she embarks on a fantasy weekend to seduce a man who doesn’t know she exists. With the help of her three best friends, Gia gets a head to toe make over to disguise her appearance hoping that her co-worker and crush Luke Monroe will not recognize the woman about to rock his world. But little did Gia know that the fantasy she had planned would become her reality when her heart begins to feel so much more.

Fearless is a Cinderella story where the hard working girl who doesn’t take chances goes for the one man out of her league and her social circle. Gia has been infatuated with Luke for a long while, and when she discovers that Luke will be in Vegas for a meeting, her three friends convince Gia to make all of Luke’s and her fantasies come to life. But returning home to the real world, Gia will come face to face with reality when she is re- introduced to her new boss.

Tawny Weber walks the reader through one woman’s fantasy and dream of seducing the man she has always wanted. We get up close and personal as they explore the wilder side of letting go and having fun in the bedroom. The storyline is not sexually explicit but one that will pull the reader into the sensual and sexual antics of two people getting to know one another’s body, heart and mind. They say ‘what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’ but that doesn’t always apply when the heart and mind are focused on only one thing.

The relationship between Gia and Luke develops quickly. Gia is on a mission and when Luke makes his approach, Gia is waiting and the game begins. Fearless is a story of seduction and the compatibility of two people who would have probably never come together in the real world. Both characters are relatable and likeable but the reality of the situation would probably never happen knowing that come Monday morning, you will have to face your weekend fantasy in the boardroom knowing full well that you left your panties somewhere in the room back at the hotel. 😉

Copy supplied by publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Cassandra Giovanni-An Interview with the Author

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Cassandra Giovanni-An Interview with the Author

Interview 2

TRC: Hi Cassandra and welcome to The Reading Cafe. Congratulations on the release of Love Exactly.

Cassandra GiovanniWe would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

FOLLOW: Blog Goodreads / Facebook /

Cassandra: My two main passions are writing and photography, so naturally I own businesses that surround those two things. I own my own photography company, and a publication marketing company. The marketing company is barely off the ground, but is something I plan to use to help other struggling Indie authors to get off their feet through my own learning experiences. During the day I’m a Retail Banking Operations and Project Manager at a local bank. I don’t take a break, and I am determined to make my mark on the world–my mantra, sleeping is optional, and stress only makes us stronger!

TRC: You are also a photographer and the owner of a publication marketing company. How do you incorporate the business of writing with your photography business?

Cassandra: I use my photography to design custom covers that authors can rest assured are meant for their novel, and their novel only. It’s a refreshing break from the stock covers and stock models who all look the same.

Love ExactlyTRC: LOVE EXACTLY is the June 2013 release in your contemporary new adult STICKS AND STONES series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Check out our review HERE

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Cassandra: The novel was begun with the intention of being light hearted, but ended up being about the journey of two lost souls as they tried to understand who they were, who they are and who they should be. It’s realistic, and sometimes dark, but in the end the two characters learn about each other, and most importantly about themselves.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series and will Emma and Evan be the featured couple in each storyline?

OverexposedCassandra: The series will only be two books, the first Love Exactly and the second Overexposed. Emma and Evan will be featured in Overexposed, but this time it will be written in Evan’s POV. It will start off exactly where the last novel left off, with a bit of overlapping. It’s going to start right as they walk out onto the red carpet.

TRC: What difficulties or challenges (e.g. research, logistics, etc) did you encounter writing this particular storyline?

Cassandra: I had to figure out what borders I needed to establish to make myself comfortable with other people reading a story so close to me, and my own hardships in my past. I danced on a thin line in my subconscious as I dealt with my own pain knowing that some people would pass judgement on Emma for her actions, and that I needed to try to not take it to heart as a judgement onto me. When one reader stated they thought Emma should be in therapy–I wasn’t surprised. I’d already prepared myself for that sort of reaction. I loved writing the story, and I’m very glad that I did.

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Cassandra: Honestly, I don’t know. I just write what I write, and then hope it’s believable, I guess. It may have to do with my writing style–I don’t outline, so a lot of the time I don’t actually know what is going to happen anyways. If I have some idea what is going to happen I don’t harp on it. I write as I go, and let things unfold on their own. This style may in itself lend to the plot being less predictable.

TRC: The mark of a good writer is to pull the reader into the storyline so that they experience the emotions along with the characters. What do you believe a writer must do to make this happen? Where do you believe writers fail in this endeavor?

Cassandra: I think a writer needs to fully engross themselves in the characters–be the characters. Throw yourself in the roles of each character and get to know them–watch their reactions from others eyes, knowing what they mean but what might not be conveyed. Some 95% of communication is non-verbal, between tone, and physical reactions. In writing it’s important to show and not tell–so describing actions, but not in overzealous detail, as opposed to saying exactly what some one is feeling (think words ending in -ly as tell words) and being in character are important. As for where writers fail in this endeavor; writing is an art, so opinions abound on what’s right and wrong. I don’t like an enormous amount of description, because it pulls me out of character. I describe only what I know my characters would notice (I write only in first person)–not ridiculous things that they wouldn’t, such as the size of a room when someone is holding a gun to their head. This lends to the telling as opposed to showing, but again, is merely my preference.

TRC: Do you direct the characters or do the characters direct the storyline as you write?

Cassandra: I guess it’s a little bit of both. I’m writing the characters, so I must be directing them in some way. Even if it is only in a subconscious way.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas with family and friends or other authors. With whom do you bounce ideas?

Cassandra: I don’t honestly do a lot of bouncing off of anyone. I sit down and write–I have conversations with my editor about the novel once it’s done, but I don’t really talk about plot, etc with other people. I do let my readers see what I’m working on one to two times a week on my blog and then watch for their reactions to what I’m doing. I don’t know that their reactions would change my intentions, though. Once the novel is done I also send it out to Beta readers as well.

TRC: If you could select one reality TV show to be a contestant, which show would your chose and why?

Flawed PerfectionCassandra: Honestly, I don’t watch any, so I don’t know of any. I guess seeing I am the matron of honor in my brother’s wedding it would be Say Yes to the Dress, because I know Carley would love to be on it!

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Cassandra: The first novel in the Beautifully Broken Series, Flawed Perfection.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Cassandra: I’d like to thank all my readers, friends and family for their constant support.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
Jalapeno Poppers

Favorite Dessert
Strawberry Rubarb Pie

Favorite TV Show
The Big Bang Theory

Last Movie you saw
White Chicks

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Dark

Favorite Flower
Angel Face Rose

Last Vacation Destination
Sedona, Arizona 4 years ago

Secret Celebrity Crush
Adam Levine

Pet Peeve
Coordinating Conjunctions starting sentences

TRC: Thank you Cassandra for taking the time to answer our questions. We are looking forward to Overexposed in 2014.

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Love Exactly (Sticks and Stones #1) by Cassandra Giovanni- A Review

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LOVE EXACTLY (Sticks and Stones #1) by Cassandra Giovanni-A Review 

Love Exactly

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Released June 20, 2013

Emma Walker was a writer who’d lost herself to someone else’s anger–who had given up on ever feeling like herself again.

Evan Levesque was a rock-god–the one all the woman wanted, but he’d never gotten used to the loneliness between the stage and real life.

With just one cup of coffee they’ll begin a journey of self-discovery at each others sides, but can Emma handle Evan’s fame while dealing with her own demons? Emma’s checkered personal past, a bad relationship that haunts the edges of her memories, threatens to make everything implode on them when Evan takes matters into his own hands.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words…they’ll destroy my soul–Can Emma handle being put back together and facing who she’s become because of it?

••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: LOVE EXACTLY is the first storyline is Cassandra Giovanni’s New Adult romance series focusing on twenty three year old Emma Walker-a woman with a past mired in emotional and physical abuse- and Evan Levesque- a thirty something rock star who wants nothing more than to be normal. The loneliness on the road is eating away at his heart and his life.

The premise surrounds Emma, a budding photographer and journalist who finds herself in a relationship with Evan- a rock star with a reputation for the ladies. As their romance develops into something more, Evan will become protector and guardian when Emma comes face to face with her past but in doing so will probably place them both in the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons.

The rock star/journalist premise is nothing new in the new adult/rock god genre but in this particular case Emma is not after a story about the man and his music. In fact, it is Evan, who continues to push Emma back into her career as a writer. But the pain and heartbreaking memories from a previous relationship have taken their toll on Emma’s self esteem and her ability to put words to paper. The central characters of Evan and Emma are relatable-neither one is an over the top caricature of a rock star or journalist and therefore their likeability follows throughout the story.

The writing style is simple. The sex scenes are mostly implied and fade to black; the relationship between Emma and Evan is friends to lovers as Evan knows that Emma has suffered in the past and he refuses to push her into a sexual relationship too early and by too early, it will be months before the couple takes the big step into full intimacy which may raise an eyebrow or two considering Evan’s reputation. There is very little angst or emotional drama although there are a few moments when Emma begins to question their relationship and what it means on the grand scale of life.

The story follows approximately a year in the life, with weeks where the couple is not together, and in doing so, advances the timeline the same. The character development centres mostly on Emma-her family, her career and her past but we learn very little about Evan’s past and his rise to musical stardom. Hopefully there is more to the rock star than meets the eye.

Cassandra Giovanni has written a sweet story of love and passion; heartbreak and painful memories; loneliness and need; rock stars and a happily ever after. She pulls the reader into a story where one woman tries to deal with the past but in doing so refuses to move forward. Once the demons have been excised, the path ahead will become clearer and much more promising.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Dance, Ballerina, Dance by M.A. Abraham

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Dance, Ballerina, Dance by M.A. Abraham

 

Dance Ballerina DanceLinks to order Dance Ballerina Dance:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Smashwords

Description:
Diamond Taylor didn’t think twice about what she was going to do when she heard her grandmother was on her deathbed. She immediately took a leave of absence from her position as Prima Ballerina and boarded a plane for Sydney and home. She wasn’t prepared for what she found when she got there, a dying grandmother, a grieving grandfather, and both prepared to do whatever it took to make sure she was matched with their neighbor who they had all but adopted.

Trent was doing everything he could do to help his neighbors, they were like family to him and his wards considered them equivalent to grandparents. It was such a tragedy that the only member of their own family didn’t care enough to bother coming to be by their side, though that was about to change. The last thing he expected was someone like Diamond Taylor and his reaction to the dark-haired beauty. She was a complication he didn’t need in his life, but couldn’t help reaching for with both hands.

Diamond and Trent took one look at each other and it was hate at first sight, or was it? No matter what, they were being railroaded into an unwanted marriage by her matchmaking grandparents and the truce they declared to make the last days of her grandmothers life happy were about to bind them in ways neither expected. The question was, could they make it continue to work later, when there was no reason left to pretend?

Review:

Dance, Ballerina, Dance by M.A. Abraham is a sweet story about two people who have devoted their lives to their work, not allowing themselves to open their hearts to anyone. Diamond Taylor is our heroine, and when we meet Diamond, who is a famous Prima Ballerina, she is on her way home to visit her dying grandmother in Australia.

Diamond had a rough childhood that helped pave the way to hardening her heart, though she did love her grandparents.  Diamond lost her family to a fire when she was a child, and to this day, she still has nightmares.  She grew up with her grandparents, but now that she is older, Diamond does not see them much.  She is too busy doing what she loves, being a ballerina, and only her grandmother on her death bed can pull Diamond away.

Our hero, Trent Alexander, is a friend, who lives next door to Diamond’s grandparents.  He meets Diamond immediately after she arrives, and both of them hit it off on the wrong foot.  She is cold and not very friendly, and he thinks of her as a snob.  She considers him rude, and insolent.  Needless to say, they both can’t stand each other.

Diamond’s grandfather plots to bring the man that they have come to care about and trust together with their granddaughter.  A plot is put together for Trent and Diamond to pretend that they have fallen in love to appease her grandmother, who then plans a wedding before she dies.  Neither Trent or Diamond are happy about it, but do go along with the plan, to allow her grandmother to be happy in her final days.  They are given a two week honeymoon trip as a gift.  During these two weeks, they discover each other, and the sexual chemistry between them was strong.  When they return home, Trent has fallen in love with Diamond, and she herself cares strongly for Trent, but is hesitant to commit totally.

A short time later, Diamond is beside herself, as she finds what she has dreaded come true.  When she goes to console herself with Trent, she finds him in the arms of another woman.  What she doesn’t know is that it was unwarranted, an old flame tried to push herself upon him.  Diamond filled with grief, doesn’t let herself look at the obvious and takes a plane back to San Francisco and her ballet troupe.  Trent has no idea why Diamond left, and is heartbroken, but also angry. 

What follows is a story of two people, both stubborn, who truly do love one another, but each refusing to give in to their feelings.  Diamond goes back to her career, and privately mourns the loss of Trent.  But a promise to Trent two nieces, brings Diamond back to Australia, and into the arms of Trent, especially when she is suffering from a bad injury that could cost her career. A wonderful sweet story of an unlikely romance, with some rough edges along the way.  The end pulled on our emotions, with a scary scene, which I wish had a bigger more elaborate homecoming.  But Dance, Ballerina, Dance was a different type of book by M.A. Abraham and I enjoyed reading it very much.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Author

 

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Thankless in Death by J.D. Robb – a Review

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Thankless in Death by J.D. Robb – a Review

thankless in death

Links to order Thankless in Death:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble/ Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
In the latest suspense thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, the year 2060 is drawing to a close in New York City and loved ones are coming together for Thanksgiving. But sometimes the deepest hatreds seethe within the closest relationships, and blood flows faster than water…

Lieutenant Eve Dallas has plenty to be grateful for this season. Hosting Roarke’s big Irish family for the holiday may be challenging, but it’s a joyful improvement on her own dark childhood.

Other couples aren’t as lucky as Eve and Roarke. The Reinholds, for example, are lying in their home stabbed and bludgeoned almost beyond recognition. Those who knew them are stunned—and heartbroken by the evidence that they were murdered by their own son. Twenty-six-year-old Jerry hadn’t made a great impression on the bosses who fired him or the girlfriend who dumped him—but they didn’t think he was capable of this.

Turns out Jerry is not only capable of brutality but taking a liking to it. With the money he’s stolen from his parents and a long list of grievances, he intends to finally make his mark on the world. Eve and her team already know the who, how, and why of this murder. What they need to pinpoint is where Jerry’s going to strike next

 

Review:

Thankless in Death is the 37th book in J.D. Robb’s fantastic In Death series.  This does not include all the novellas over the years.  One thing is sure, you will never be disappointed by anything written by J.D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts), as this series has the best couple, as far as I’m concerned, in the literary world, in Eve & Roarke.  Just to spend time with Eve, Roarke, and all their great secondary characters, such Peabody, Mira, Summerset, just a name a few makes this series so highly enjoyable & anticipated. 

The villain in TID is Jerald Reinhold, a 26 year old bitter and lazy young man, who does nothing in his life, but expect others to serve him.  When his mother continues to nag him to get a job, Jerry goes out of control & turns psycho, killing her with many stab wounds, similar to the infamous Lizzie Borden.  He then goes on to kill his father, using a baseball bat. The bad thing is Jerry has finally found himself, he is happy and wants to keep on torturing those he feels maligned him. 

Eve and Peabody are assigned to this case, as they view the bloody mess they find at the Reinholds.  Right from the start, Eve figures out fast that Jerry is the murderer, but the hardest part, is finding him, since he has so many people he felt wronged him, it was hard to figure his next move. 

I found that Jerry was a sick & nasty villain, and though this series has many violent murders, he is one of the worst, and I truly hated what he did to his victims.   But Eve is a murder cop, the best, and she has a great team that respects and are totally loyal to her.  We have come to expect the horrible villains. You know in time they will find the killer, but the question is how long and how many horrible deaths will it take before our Eve gets him. 

In between this exciting, but violent case, we get a few wonderful added moments.  We met Roarke’s Irish family a few books back, and since this is Thanksgiving time, we get to see them all again.  It is truly a pleasure to see them, and fun to watch.  We also got to see many of those super secondary characters, whom we have come to care about throughout all the 40 plus stories.  Some of my favorites include the previously mentioned Peabody, Mira, Summerset, but also Nadine, Morris, Mavis, McNabb, Feeney, Baxter, Charles, Louise,  and the rest of her team.  We also got to see Eve and Roarke receive accolades for their always great work, and also see some wonderful characters from the past.  Eve may stand for the dead, but in this book, her friends, co-workers, family, and those she helped stand for Eve.  There were quite a few emotional moments that are rare for Eve.

One thing is constant, Eve & Roarke are such a great couple, each with their own unhappy childhoods, and their flawed past, but their love for one another is so real & true; when they are together, your heart just warms up.  There is nothing finer then watching our gorgeous & rich hunk, Roarke making sure his cop gets to eat, rest, dress well, and have a little sex in between.  I guess you can tell I love Eve & Roarke.

Throughout this non-stop violent wild ride, we got to see Jerry’s POV, which showed how dangerous and sick his mind was.  Even to the very end, Jerry thought he was in his right, and nothing was his fault.  Always a pleasure to watch Eve & Roarke narrow down the clues, work closely with her team to stop a vicious murderer.  What stops this from being just a violent book, is the joy and fun you get watching all of them interact with one another. 

The epilogue which was such a nice touch, was very emotional, as it brought back Nixie, one the youngsters Eve helped from the past cases.  With the theme of Thanksgiving, I am thankful to be able to read at least two books a year and a novella, which helps feed my addiction to Eve , Roarke, Peabody and all the wonderful secondary characters.  Thankless in Death is another winner for J.D. Robb, and I can’t wait for the next one.

Reviewed by Barb

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